Stories by Henry Claypool

Amid a decline in infrastructure spending, cities and local transportation agencies still pull together funding to address current and future transportation needs — but they could be taking on more ambitious updates.

Why it matters: Beyond repairing and improving roads and sidewalks, cities have an opportunity to build infrastructure that could open up alternative mobility options and increase accessibility for all.

What's needed: Communities will also need to make investments specifically designed to improve accessibility.

Crosswalks could incorporate more “curb cuts,” which are built in ramps, and more audio announcements of light changes for people who are blind or low-vision.

Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. are installing beacon technology in some transit hubs to help people navigate using audio cues transmitted via devices like smartphones.

The bottom line: With municipalities stepping up to plan for and invest in an autonomous, electric transportation future, there is an opportunity to implement infrastructure improvements that follow principles of inclusive, accessible design.

Henry Claypool is a policy expert affiliated with UCSF and AAPD, and a former director of the U.S. Health and Human Services Office on Disability.

Editor's note: This piece was edited to take out a bullet on LA's rate of sidewalk repair due to outdated statistics.

The big picture: Retirement communities are expecting an influx of new residents, many of whom are likely to be non-drivers and require transportation to maintain their independence. The demand for AVs, if they're accessible, could explode.

Context: Retirement communities have significant populations of non-drivers, and are naturally geofenced areas.

The closed-circuit design, predictable traffic patterns, and low-speed limits of retirement communities could make them ideal for deploying AVs — even sooner than they may be deployed on public roads.

Yes, but: Providing senior citizens with reliable, effective service will depend on vehicle accessibility — and retirement communities will need not only wheelchair-accessible vehicles, but potentially vehicles that can accommodate more than one wheelchair.

What we're watching: Two players in the AV space are already eyeing the retirement community opportunity:

Even as ridesharing companies expand their offerings and look towards AV deployment, many people with disabilities are still unable to access today's shared vehicles.

Why it matters: Ridesharing companies, such as Uber and Lyft, formed their business models and then — belatedly, allege critics — began addressing accessibility challenges, a strategy that could hinder disability access to AVs in the future.

The big picture: Ridesharing companies have promoted the idea that they are a transportation boon to people with disabilities, just as AV companies are doing today. But ridesharing has had mixed results for people with disabilities.

For many who cannot get a driver's license because of epilepsy, for example, ridesharing has increasedmobility.

Between the lines: How Uber and Lyft prioritize and address accessibility now will have lasting impacts as they expand their transportation offerings, including introducing AVs.

What we're watching: Uber’s recent launch of limited WAV service in certain markets is a step forward, but still does not offer equal access for all. Ridesharing companies need to expand access to new mobility options as they develop and deploy them — otherwise, access to new transportation tech will remain unequal.

Henry Claypool is a policy expert affiliated with UCSF and AAPD, and a former director of the U.S. Health and Human Services Office on Disability.